Reclast Osteoporosis ( Zolendronic acid)

Reclast Osteoporosis medication. This is the brand name for Zoledronic acid a drug which was approved by the FDA as a drug for the treatment of Osteoporosis. This drug is sold in the EU under the brand name of Aclasta.

Zoledronic
acid (Reclast) is a bisphosphonate as are Actonel, Boniva and Fosamax. What is
different about Reclast is that it is given by intravenous infusion or
injection at ones physician’s office.

This way of administering the drug gets around some of
the common problems with other bisphosphonates – especially the problem
of patients forgetting or discontinuing their medication .

If
you have questions about this drug, the following FAQ about Reclast
Osteoporosis Medication (Frequently Asked questions) should answer most
of them.

FAQ Reclast Osteoporosis medication

What kind of drug is this? This
drug belongs to the class of drugs called bisphosphonates.
Bisphosphonates affect your bones by inhibiting your osteoclasts, the cells
that remove ‘old’ bone. Since the removal of bone is slowed, there is increased bone density.

What are its advantages over the other bisphosphonates? The
biggest advantage is that this drug needs to be taken only once a year!
Many are enthusiastic about this once a year treatment since a
great drawbacks of all drug treatments for Osteopenia and
Osteoporosis is that people stop taking their medications. (This is called
‘non-compliance’ and it is one of the toughest problems facing
physicians whose clients have thin or porous bones.)

Will a once a year treatment be effective?The
study published in the May 3, 2007 issue of the New England Journal of
Medicine showed that an annual treatment with this drug is as effective
as current monthly or weekly osteoporosis regimens at reducing the
incidence of bone fracture.The study, formally called, Health Outcomes and Reduced Incidence with Zoledronic acid Pivotal Fracture Trial , known as HORIZON, was a multinational, randomized, placebo-controlled trial.
The study followed over seven thousand post menopausal women who with
Osteoporosis. There was a 70 percent reduction in the risk of spinal
fractures and a 40 percent reduction in the risk of hip fractures. And
this effect was sustained over the three years. "The
reductions in hip and spine fractures were at least as large as those
seen with other drugs in this category," said Dennis Black, PhD, a
professor of epidemiology and biostatistics in the UCSF School of
Medicine, who led the study. "But even more remarkable were the strong,
significant and consistent effects across all fracture types."

Who is the manufacturer of this drug?
Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corp., a U.S. affiliate of the Swiss-based
Novartis. It should be noted that . Novartis is one of the largest drug
companies in the world.

What is the dosage needed for good results? 5 mg of Reclast Osteoporosis medication (zolendratic acid) was the dosage used in the study.

What about side effects of Reclast Osteoporosis drug? Isn’t zolendratic acid associated with renal damage and bone deterioration? Yes, but the
renal damage and bone deterioration has been seen in much larger doses
used in cancer treatment. But this study showed no such damaging side
effects. It is believed that this is due to the lower dosage used in the Osteoporosis study. The
study did find that atrial fibrillation ( a heart beat abnormality)
increased in small amounts in some subjects. "The observed increase in
atrial fibrillation was very small -- less than one in 100 patients --
so it needs to be weighed against the reduction in fracture risk," Black
said. This increase was unexpected and has not been seen in other
studies of this drug. He recommends that it be further examined.Also
some patients may have one of the following when they first begin using
this drug:fever and chills muscle, bone or joint pain nausea , fatigue or headache redness, swelling or pain at the infusion site or at your eyes.

Also some patients experienced some sensitivity to light

Some patients experience low blood calcium after treatment.. Symptoms
of low blood calcium can include numbness or tingling or muscle spasms. You should contact your health care provider immediately if you notice any of these symptoms after getting Reclast.

Are their other things I should know about Reclast Osteoporosis drug? Reclast has the same active ingredient (zoledronic acid) found in Zometa, a
drug that it administered by injection.

If you are already being treated
with Zometa , you should NOT take this drug.

Patients with severe kidney problems should not take Reclast. If you
have or have had kidney problems be sure to tell your current health
care provider is he or she is considering this drug for your bone loss.Also,
it is important to drink sufficient fluids before getting your Reclast
treatment.

Also you should take 1500 mg of calcium and 800 IU of
vitamin D each day - , especially during the first 2 weeks after your
Reclast treatment

As with all drugs, be sure to ask
your health care provider ANY and ALL questions you might have. You
need to be fully informed about your treatment
To read more about the side effects go to:Reclast osteoporosis drug side effects